RVs and OHvs -- My Personal Preferences

People sometimes ask what is the best RV or OHV? The only true answer to that question is, "The one that works for you now". There are various yardsticks people may use to rate different brands and styles, such as price, features, performance, and reputation. Personally I would replace "price" with "value". If you have the resources, it is possible to pay millions of dollars for a fancy Class A motorhome, but does it deliver real value over a less expensive, entry level, "luxury" motorhome? Perhaps for some people. But since most of us don't have that kind of cash lying around looking for something to spend it on, we have to examine the options within our own budgets. That's where value really comes into play. An inexpensive, tent trailer isn't a good value no matter how cheap it is to purchase if it doesn't fit your family or you don't or won't use it, while a $250,000 Class A luxury RV might be an excellent value if you can afford it and if it delivers the functionality and features you require or desire. Personally, I  find value in "extras" I might not have considered essential in my early days of RVing. For example, a recent motorhome had an electric step, automatic levelers, an ice maker, and a washer and dryer, none of which were on my original "must have" list, but things we definitely enjoy and that add convenience to our outings. Having been spoiled by the levelers, they are close to becoming a "must have" if/when we switch again. I especially appreciate them when I arrive in camp after dark or in bad weather.  The ice maker is a nice option during hot desert outings although it seldom got used.  The washer and dryer virtually never got used.  It would be a different story if we were full timing.  Thought about  using the dryer to dry clothing after we got wet in the rain but gave up because the rollers for the drum had developed a flat spot from sitting unused for so long and it thumped like it was full of boots!

What works for me may or may not work for you.  Only YOU can decide what works for you.  You might consider the opinions of experienced users, but ultimately, you have to find the right setup for you and your family.  There is definitely value in asking your colleagues why they chose their rigs and what they like -- and don't like -- about them.

Over the years I've owned and used almost every type of recreational vehicle there is: tent trailers, travel trailers, fifth wheels, truck campers, toyhaulers, Class B van conversions, Class C motorhomes, and Class A motorhomes. For many years we owned an older Holiday Rambler Class A, a 40' diesel pusher. Which one was the best? Each one I owned was the best for me at the time. I liked the big Holiday Rambler a lot, it had more conveniences and luxuries than others we've owned, but it would not have been good for our family of eight when all the kids were still at home.  It seems kind of strange that the really big Class A's are usually designed for 2 people while many of the smaller Class C's accommodate 8-10 people!  The "bunkhouse" motorhomes we owned when the kids were young were best for us at the time, our luxury Class A fit our needs as a semi-retired couple until we decided to downsize.  So, not only should your RV be the best for you, it needs to be the best for you right now.   For most people affordability is usually a significant factor in purchasing an RV so the best RV for you at any given time is likely to be the one that fits your budget as well as your family and your planned use.  Fortunately, there are usually a fair number of units on the market at any one time giving you many to choose from in order to get the most features for what you spend.

Overall, I have found that the Class A motorhome best meets my needs and the needs of my family most of the time. I prefer a motorhome over any type of towable RV for a couple of reasons. For one thing, most of my travels have mostly been in California and Oregon where vehicles pulling trailers are limited to 55 mph. When we were on a tight schedule to visit Grandma and Grandpa in Oregon it cut many hours off the trip to be able to travel the normal speed limit. A thousand mile trip at 55 mph will take a little over 18 hours. The same trip at 70 mph will take about 14.25 hours. So if travel time is important to you, driving a motorhome will save a significant amount of time on the road in states with the 55 mph for vehicles towing trailers. I've always thought that the reduced speed limits for trucks and trailers was a particularly misguided "safety" measure. One of the most dangerous traffic conditions is "traffic shear" -- the difference in speed between lanes of traffic. It seems counterproductive to legislate traffic shear by having different speed limits for different vehicles on the same  road. There may have been a time when over-the-road trucks didn't have adequate stopping power, but today's trucks have brakes engineered for 100,000 pounds and are typically hauling less than 80,000 pounds. Pulling travel trailers without their own braking systems may over-stress the brakes on a tow vehicle, but any trailer with its own adequate brakes should offer no more risk than a large two-axle truck, which is not restricted to the 55 mph speed limit. Oh well, enough standing on my soap box and whining.

Another advantage of a motorhome, at least to me and my family, is the comfort and convenience traveling in one provides. You don't have to be constantly searching for rest areas or service stations to meet the demands of children's smaller bladders. You can send your co-pilot back to get you a beverage or a snack when needed. With appropriately placed entertainment systems, the kids can enjoy their favorite movies or video games on the road, significantly reducing the incessant cries of "are we there yet?". I also like the minimal setup required when we reach our destination or stop along the way. Many times we've just pulled off the road in a safe area and climbed into bed when we got too tired to keep driving. Of course everyone but the driver can sleep while still traveling too. In some states it is illegal for passengers to ride in a trailer, so on-the-road rest for non-drivers isn't an option in towables in those states.

My preference of a Class A motorhome over a Class C also has a lot to do with perceived stability driving and the capacity of on-board resources. Class A's typically have larger fresh water tanks and larger holding tanks, both of which were essential for dry-camping in the desert with a family of eight (or even a couple!).   As for the stability issue, that is largely subjective and many Class C's are very stable and comfortable to drive. Especially with the new "Super C" models based on large truck chassis instead of a cutaway van chassis.  Some people may be more comfortable driving a Class C because the driver's station and view out the windshield is pretty much exactly the same as a full size van -- but you still have to be aware of and make allowances for the extra height, width, and weight.

I'm NOT saying everyone should run out and buy a Class A motorhome. Your needs will be different from ours. Class C motorhomes are typically smaller, which may be important if you have limited space to park them at home or plan to use them on narrow, twisty roads or camp in small spaces, such as campgrounds with length limitations. Some Class C's get better gas mileage than larger Class A units. Class Bs are even more compact and can offer even better fuel economy. Since Class Bs are fundamentally a full-size van, they can be used as a second car and sometimes even fit in a standard garage. We were quite comfortable in a Class C for many years and even have a lot of fond memories of our early Class B when our family was small.

Towables are still good options for many people. Your budget and/or available storage area may dictate a light weight tent trailer or travel trailer that you can tow with the family car. Not to worry. There are many options available, depending on how you plan to use your RV and what features and conveniences you consider essential. Tent trailers are usually the least expensive and lightest, but there are many lightweight travel trailers designed to be towed by smaller vehicles.  Tent trailers require more setup when you get to where you're going, aren't as well insulated (so they'll be harder to cool in summer and harder to keep warm on cooler days), and some people find the sound of the tent fabric flapping in the breeze disturbs their slumber.

If you already own a pickup truck, a truck camper may be a good solution for you. The latest truck campers even have slide outs that significantly increase the limited living space in traditional campers. We got an incredible deal on an older camper. The unit is more than 40 years old but in exceptionally good condition and we paid only $100 for it! It is fully self contained and everything works. It gives us an option for reaching campsites where our 40' Class A can't go.

The bottom line is, what is best for me, or for your neighbor or your brother-in-law, or the RV salesman, does NOT determine what is best for you. To borrow and adapt a phrase from Smokey The Bear, "Only YOU can decide what is right for you."

The same thing applies to OHVs. My family and I ride dirt bikes. We always have. When we started riding there were no 3-wheeled ATCs or 4-wheeled ATVs and the only "side-by-sides" were Jeeps and dune buggies. Today there are many options, including 4-wheel drive ATVs and UTVs (side-by-sides). One of the reasons we've stayed with dirt bikes over the years is their maneuverability. Dirt bikes don't roll over when you ride them across a hillside the way ATVs and UTVs have a tendency to do. Of course, ATVs don't fall over when you stop like dirt bikes do so there is a recognizable trade off. Dirt bikes can also easily negotiate narrow single track trails and deftly weave through obstacles such as trees and boulders. ATVs do have advantages in some terrain, especially if they're equipped with 4-wheel drive. The wide, soft tires are excellent for sand, snow, mud, and other soft surfaces. ATVs are also useful as support vehicles for other activities, such as hunting, fishing, and search and rescue operations where you need or want to carry additional equipment or may need to transport injured people. There is no "ideal" OHV. Pick the one that works for you today. You should feel comfortable riding it and it should be fun! If it fails either of these criteria, keep looking. My personal favorite was a KTM 520 EXC off road motorcycle. It had a 4-stroke, electric start engine with enough power to easily lift the front wheel when needed to clear obstacles and negotiate whoops. I now ride a smaller 250CC 4-stroke Honda. It is quick and more maneuverable on mountain trails here in Utah and easier to pick up when I crash than my KTM, but it lacks the raw, 1960's muscle-car style power of the KTM that I so enjoyed in on desert trails in southern California.  Just like an RV, affordability is usually a major factor in finding the right ride.  You can sometimes get exceptionally good deals on used OHVs.  But sometimes, especially if the price is particularly low, you'll find they've been abused and you would better off to keep looking.  There are usually plenty of used OHVs on the market and people will have various reasons for selling them.  Sometimes they've upgraded to a newer or at least different model and are just hoping to get a little more out of their old unit than the trade in allowance would have been.  Sometimes there are life style changes that force a sale.  When there are accidents or illnesses in the family, people sometimes have to give up their toys.   Sometimes a change in job or marital status may alter their priorities and their opportunities to go riding.

Of course, what works for you might not be an RV at all.  You might like tent camping better -- or it might fit your budget better at this time.   Remember, the whole formula is "what works best for you right now".  You may have to compromise on some of the features you want if they aren't currently within your budget.  However, careful searching and patience may let you find something that comes close to being the rig of your dreams.  Just don't let your "ultimate" dream setup keep you from getting started.   When you find an RV that meets most of your requirements, it might be worth trying it out for a while.  You may very well learn many things that will prepare you to make better choices in the future.

Available budget will often be a significant factor in choosing equipment.  If money were no object, we could all just run down to our favorite dealer and order up RVs or OHVs custom made to our individual specifications.  But for most of us, budget demands we purchase used items or buy "off the rack" when buying new ones.  Each time I've changed RVs I've had to wrestle with major decisions between older units with more features and newer ones with fewer miles.  But one of the wonderful things about RVs is you can usually even find older units with low miles.  When we had to replace our 1986 40' Holiday Rambler due to an accident we opted for a 1984 Southwind Eagle, a 27' Class A with just under 42,000 miles on it.  And if you decide an RV isn't in your budget yet, go ahead and enjoy some tent camping.  You'll have fun and learn a lot.

Now, figure out YOUR personal preferences and pick the RV and OHV that is right for you -- right now!